University Tests of Cotswold Sheep vs. Other Breeds

Here are the results of typical tests from the days when universities still rated Cotswolds against other breeds.

Bear in mind that modern scientific rations had not yet been fully worked out, so all these breeds would greatly improve in feed efficiency today.

Comparison of Breeds for Mutton & Wool Production
Breed	Avg. Wt.	Gain /Day	Total Gain	Lbs. of Feed Per 100 Lbs. Gain			Dressed Carcass	Fleece Avg. Wt.
	Lbs.	Lbs.	Lbs.	Grain	Hay	Roots	Percent	Lbs.
Southdown	78	0.40	39.2	483	451	279	55.3	5.7
Shropshire	95	0.41	40.6	500	476	306	54.6	8.3
Dorset	92	0.45	44.8	485	494	286	53.4	6.4
Suffolk	105	0.47	46.3	492	493	280	53.1	6.4
Oxford	107	0.46	45.2	499	500	311	52.6	9.5
Leicester	109	0.48	47.2	465	462	293	54.8	10.3
Cotswold	102	0.55	54.5	418	411	249	54.2	11.3
Lincoln	108	0.50	49.7	457	451	270	53.4	11.7
Merino	78	32.4	32.4	573	509	345	50.7	8.2
Wilson & Curtiss (Iowa Bulletins 33 & 35) at the Iowa Station finished wethers of different breeds on the same rations in 2 trials, lasting 90 days & 105 days, respectively---results here are averaged between the two trials. First trial, 10 twelve-month old wethers in each lot; second trial 9, averaging 9 months old. Natl. Delaine Merinos in first trial, Rambouillets in second. Note Cotswolds had best daily gain, best total gain, least grain & hay per 100 lbs. gain, respectable and fleece carcass weights.

Value of Ram Breeds for Crossing On Western Ewes
Sire Breed	Number Fed	Initial Wt.	Daily Gain	Concentrates Per 100 Lbs. Gain	Dressed Carcass Wt.*
Cotswold	55	77	0.36	524	52.4
Oxford	53	82	0.34	543	52.9
Hampshire	55	80	0.31	587	53.4
Shropshire	57	73	0.31	575	53.2
Southdown	53	72	0.25	564	53.1
Rambouillet	53	72	0.31	563	54.2
*Average of 3 years
Wilson (South Dakota Bul. 127) split 60 Montana-bred yearling ewes into 6 lots, breeding each lot to an average-quality ram of each of the breeds shown here. The test spanned six years, each lot being bred to the next breed of ram on the list in each succeeding year. Lambs grazed bluegrass & rape pastures until frost, then finished on a mix of 100 lbs. corn, 100 lbs. oats, 25 lbs. linseed meal, plus all the upland prairie hay they would eat. Cotswold-sired lambs made the largest and most economical gain and led in fleece value. In dressing percentage, they were lowest, perhaps due to heavier fleece weights than any other sire breed on the list.

American Cotswold Record Association